In December of the Holy Calendar year 10754, the meeting between Holy Knight Gray and Pope Augustus III in Lion King City of the Isaac Kingdom was seen as a concession by the Cardinal Court to Holy Knight Gray, marking the beginning of a new era and a temporary conclusion to the conflicts caused by Gray’s emergence.
The Church’s prestige was somewhat elevated following the successful rescue of four Holy Knights and Gray’s acceptance of the title of Saint from the Church. Of course, it was only a slight elevation and it still lingered in a low valley. Meanwhile, Holy Knight Gray’s fame surged due to the Church’s concession, reaching unprecedented heights. He nearly gained dominion over both ecclesiastical and secular governance in the Southern Continent, and no one dared to defy him. At least, no one would openly defy him.
And at that time, only a year and a half had passed since he appeared on this continent. Keltos Continent experienced a brief moment of peace.
However, this peace was undoubtedly fleeting.
Pope Augustus III made the decision to bestow the title of Saint upon Gray against major opposition. According to historical records, there’s considerable dissent within the Church and even the Cardinal Court against Gray. As the Pope continued his "acceptance" of Gray, the voices of opposition slowly surfaced and, this time, they were not restrained by the Church.
*Perhaps it was not the end of the storm but rather a pause.* *The issues were not resolved, they merely quieted down temporarily.*
In June 10755, Gray Gruggle married Shelley Gru Gru in a simple ceremony at Salted Fish Port, Gray’s territory. Of course, describing it as "grand" would also be fitting, considering all nations, the Church, and even foreign forces like elves, dwarves, and the Barbarian Clan sent delegations to attend.
It was undoubtedly the most glorious moment in the history of the humble seaside town of Salted Fish Port. There were more guests than local residents, which initially caused chaos. However, order was swiftly restored, as no one dared to create trouble at the Holy Knight’s wedding.
Even at the wedding, Gray stayed true to his usual attire, wearing armor, much to everyone’s surprise. Yet, the bride Shelley did not seem to mind.
*Hmm... there is one question.* *Years later, everyone knew Gray Gruggle was actually a Lich.* *So, how did Shelley spend the wedding night?*
*I know, but I cannot write about it.* *Writing it would lead to a 404 error.*
From known records, Holy Knight Gray and his wife were always very loving and were once considered a model couple, except that Gray never removed his mask. Letters between Holy Knight Gray and his wife found across the continent clearly reflected their deep affection. They hardly ever had any conflicts.
Memoirs from Shelley’s personal maid mentioned nothing unusual, except for a small complaint about Shelley tolerating Vivian, who evidently admired Gray, living in their castle and freely entering their bedroom.
After the wedding, Gray continued to lead the Silver Moon Knight Order across the continent, adhering firmly to his sense of justice and supporting reforms. This made him the Church’s nemesis, and also that of the old nobility. Yet, after the Church’s concession, no one wished to confront him directly. Most of the time, Pope Augustus III played the role of a peacemaker. Historical records indicate some sort of understanding and mutual respect formed between Gray and Augustus III after their negotiation, and they maintained a good friendship, frequently corresponding. Certainly, their letters contained many debates, but they still recognized each other’s worth.
The whole world seemed to be gradually moving in the direction Gray hoped for, despite him still using the Demon Lord’s power.
This situation persisted until the Holy Calendar year 10757, which was the fourth year since Gray Gruggle arrived on the continent.
That year, Holy Knight Gray and Shelley’s first child was born, named Richie Gruggle, a boy.
In the same year, Pope Augustus III passed away.
Northeast of Keltos Continent, in the underground world.
The underground world was always pitch dark without light, and when light appeared, it usually signaled two possibilities. The first was a passage to the surface world, and the second meant danger.
The Lich’s castle was evidently the latter.
Ghostly green fires, a characteristic feature of the Lich’s territory, behaved like a swarm of mosquitoes or flies, chasing anything that interested them while providing an eerie illumination.
Thousands of Undead Knights stood motionless in formation on the flat ground, while countless Skeleton Infantry stood equally still on the slopes, surrounded by various fine war weapons. On the underground hills lay a dozen Bone Dragons, also remaining still.
This was undoubtedly a colossal army capable of crushing any human nation on the continent. Or rather, all nations. Why did they remain still? Because they hadn’t received new orders in years.